I’m watching The Andromeda Strain for the first time. The book was, as far as I remember, unshowy but tense, at least all those years ago. Director Robert Wise and his lack of flashy visuals is a good match for the script. Furthermore, the entire cast is wooden to a fault, in other words perfectly suited for Crichton’s clunky dialogue.

If the movie had been made in this millennium, the scientists would be slowly decimated while fighting off hordes of zombies, but them were simpler days. Here, they run tests until the terrifying virus mutates into something harmless.

I quite enjoyed The Andromeda Strain, and if you’re capable of dealing with (by contemporary standards, at least) a somewhat leisurly pace, I heartily recommend it. The clinical approach adds realism and ups the tension, and the lack of histrionics makes the deadly virus all the more plausible.

Of course, the most fascinating thing about the movie is perhaps the thought that, not that long ago, you could actually make a movie where middle-aged, average-looking people sitting around talking and doing science stuff were plausible as heroes. Duck Dynasty it ain’t.

I just watched Pacific Rim. It was great fun, and got me grinning, even precariously close to a whoop. It was everything I wanted from the Transformers movies, i.e. big fucking robots beating the shit out of things. I didn’t mind that the characters weren’t deep or that it was fairly predictable, because again: big fucking robots beating the shit out of things.

A big advantage was that you could tell what was going on, because unlike, say Michael Bay, del Toro doesn’t use the “drunk cameraman on a bungee cord throwing cameras at the actors” style of filming. Anyway, I’m calling it now: Pacific Rim will sweep the Oscars*.

It's been 21 years since I first picked up Countdown to Exctinction on cassette. Think about that for a second. I did, especially given that – on-stage, at least – Dave Mustaine doesn't appear to have aged a single day. I suppose Jesus agrees with him, but for a guy who's been strung out on drugs and drink for decades, and even pronounced dead a few times, it's pretty impressive.

The solos come fast and furious as the riffs thunder along, apocalyptic and dystopian lyrics accompanied by audio-visual aids on the numerous big screens placed around the stage. And I can't help but smile as the band wiggle their backsides during riffing, a strangely dainty display in stark contrast to the death and destruction on the monitors.

While the new stuff sounds good, there's no denying that most people – including us – are there to bang their heads to the epic riffage of Rust in Peace and Countdown To Extinction. It may be unfair, but that's the trouble of getting it right, of course; once you make it to the peak, where do you go?

For us, it's definitely a trip down memory lane, the sound of high school and hormones. Which is unfair, actually; the riffage is clearly beyond doubt, but Mustaine's lyrics have stood the test of time rather well. Three presidents later, well … plus ça change.

Mustaine, a troubled soul for most of his life, seems happy and genuinely content to be there, though perhaps it's just the seasoned pro shining through. From what I've read, I was half expecting political rants from the stage, perhaps even Mustaine getting biblical on the audience, but no. The vibe is oddly positive.

Their performance clocks in at a neat 90 minutes, then they head off-stage, and the rest of us head out to a beautiful spring evening far removed from Megadeth's lyrical landscape.

Hem has released their fourth album, Departure and Farewell. Given some cryptic messages on their Facebook page, I gathered the band was in trouble, and they have since confirmed they nearly broke up. Instead, the band soldiered on to make a new album.

Tourniquet, the fittingly named lead single shown above, is simply gorgeous. Had it been their swan song, it would have been as fine an exit as one could have asked for. Thankfully, it was not. More thoughts later, but my first impression is that it’s not quite up there with Rabbit Songs or Eveningland, but roughly on par with Funnel Cloud.

The site is a collection of musings and asides, as well as quotes and links I find interesting and/or useful. I am a keen photographer and a fan of film and literature, and the site reflects my interests.